THE WORLD'S FUR TRADESource: Journal of the Royal Society of Arts, Vol. 56, No. 2903 (JULY 10, 1908), pp. 814-815Published by: Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and CommerceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41338160 .

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8I4 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS. July », 1908.

boats go as far north as the sixty-first degree of latitude, in line with the Shetland Islands, where the best quality of herring is caught - the so-called " North-catch." Gradually the herring moves south- ward, but even in the months of September and October successful fishing is carried on round the fifty- ninth degree. In November and the be- ginning of December the fishing is carried on along the English coast, near Lowestoft and Yarmouth, and even in the English Channel and along the coast of Holland, but the herring caught here is smaller and not so fat ; this is called 4 ' South-catch " and " Shore-herring." Lerwick, in the Shetland Islands, has long been used as a landing-place and wharf by the Dutch fishing fleet, and formerly the Dutch fishing firms established regular steamship connection between this place and Holland during the fishing season, in order to bring the herring as quickly as possible on the market. Since 1872, it has for some reason or other been impossible for all the different firms to agree on that point, and only a few of the largest firms are now sending their own steamers there to fetch the first herring catch. The other shipowners let their vessels unload their first catch of herrings at Lerwick in order to have it shipped from there to Holland on stray steamers via Leith or Harwich, as soon as possible. In old days it was not unusual to secure as much as £6 per barrel for the first herrings arriving in Hol- land, and even in 1906 from 30s. to £2 10s. per barrel was paid for 1,200 barrels of herrings which reach Holland via Leith in the middle of June. Shipowners, therefore, endeavour to get the first herrings quickly on the market. The pickling of the herring on all Dutch fishing-boats is done on board, as soon as the herring is on the deck. First, every herring is " gekaakt," which means that a triangular piece is cut out of the neck of the herring with a knife, and the intestines removed. The herring is then packed with salt in barrels, and is ready for shipment as the necessary brine or pickle is forming in the barrel. This method is claimed by the Dutch to be much superior to the methods adopted by other fishermen, who salt the herrings whole on board, and have them cleaned only after they are brought on shore arid partly pickled. All Dutch herrings are divided into " North-catch " and " South-catch " or " Shore-herring," and as the North-catch herring is the largest and fattest, it furnishes the best qualities. It is claimed by the exporters that there is in the United States a market for the best qualities only, and that consequently only the best qualities are exported to that country. The two best qualities of herrings are -Prima full milters, and prima full herring. The first sort consists exclusively of the fat male herring, while the second grade con- sists of both males and females. In the year 1888, the fleet consisted of but 456 vessels, which had . increased to 615 in 1898, and had reached the highest number on record in 1903, namely 777, of which 45 were steamboats. In 1907, only 756

vessels took part in the work, owing to the low prices of (fish in that year. The number of men engaged in the fisheries have averaged 10,000 during the last five years. As far as can be ascertained, the catch in 1907 amounted to 794,242 barrels, but its value was less than that of iqob, as the average prices of the fish only reached £1 per barrel, while the average price in 1906 was £1 6s. 8d. The reason for the low prices in 1907 was partly ascribed to the rich catch of the English and Scotch fisheries. Besides, the Germans caught a great deal more in 1907 than formerly, which fact had a depressing effect on the Dutch market, as Germany is the largest purchaser of Dutch herrings. It is stated that there were stored in Holland on December 31st, 1907, 142,403 barrels of herrings, against 80,846 barrels on the same date in 1906. The so-called "Bokking" are salted without first being " gekaakt," and smoked after they are brought on shore. This sort of herring is almost exclusively exported to Germany and Belgium. The herrings are disposed of at the so-called " afslag " auction sales, in the different fishing towns. The market price, however, is fixed, according to the price reached at the Vlaardingen " afslag," as the sales held in other places are unimportant compared with those at Vlaardingen. Those sales are not public, inasmuch as it is only the firms and shipowners having " seats" who are allowed to buy and sell. The principals of the large export firms are, as a rule, directors in one or more shipowning concerns, and it is seldom that a man who is a ship- owner but not a merchant, appears at the auctioh sale as seller. Large quantities of herrings are sold outside the " afslag," but the Vlaardinger auction price is in such cases also adhered to. Commissions on sales generally range from one-half to one per cent. Herrings are bought without being seen but with the right of the buyer reserved to examine them later on, and if he finds reason therefore, he can refuse to accept them. The total export of pickled herrings in 1906 amounted to 202,912,457 pounds, of which Gèrmany took about 150 million pounds, the United States 25 million, Belgium 15 million, Sweden 1 1 million, and Denmark one million pounds, all other countries accounting for less than one million pounds each.

THE WORLD'S FUR TRADE. The fear has sometimes been expressed that the

fur-bearing animals are becoming extinct, but the answer to that is that the fur trade is larger to-day than ever before. It is true that the buffalo no longer comes into consideration as a fur-bearing animal, and the beaver is also nearly extinct in most countries. The sea otter, which formerly furnished 100,000 furs annually, yields hardly 400, and the seal also seems to be rarer as the numbers of sealskins has decreased from 100,000 to 10,000 yearly, but other fur-bearing animals have taken the place of these, and the

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July io, 1908. JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS* 815

dimensions of the American fur trade are at present greater than they have ever been. The American Vice-Consul at Magdeburg says that the depots in the United States and Canada send the largest part of the furs they receive to the three famous fur markets of the world - London, Leipzig and Nijni- Novgorod. The buying itself is done by expert fur brokers.

In London the furs are sold by auction and an average of 1,000, 000 worth of furs, undressed, are disposed of here annually. The principal sale in Nijni-Novgorod takeá place in August. There all the Asiatic furs, such as Persian lambs and Astrakans, Mongolian goatskins and Siberian sables, ermine, rare squirrel furs, and, although in very small quantities, otters and seals,, are sold. The Leipzig market is held at the great fur " Messe' ' at Easter time. To it come buyers and sellers from North and South America, Persia, China, Japan, Tibet, and England. The " Messe " lasts two weeks and is an interesting relic of old times, which still retains its importance.

The question has frequently been asked as to why Germany, which furnishes no fur-bearing animals, plays so important a part in the fur trade. This is due to the colouring and dressing. Whole towns and cities are engaged in the preparation of the raw skins. Austria and Russia produce the best squirrel skins for lining, but they must all be sent to Germany to be dressed. The secret of this dressing lies partially in drawing the grease out of the skins without soiling the fur, which is of great importance in the case of ermine, white fox and polar bear furs. Many dressers finish the furs with poor fat instead of butter, or do not properly remove the unpleasant odour as they do not treat the skins with mahogany shavings. Germany takes the foremost place in the colouring of all sheepskins, which is attributed to the composition of the German river water and to the properties of the German clay.

CHINESE RUG MAKING. Few people are aware of the wealth of China in

aU sorts of woven cloths, and more especially of the hand-manufactured rugs and carpets, chiefly made in Tientsin and Peking, where one thousand persons or more, according to the American Consul at the former place, are employed in the production of rugs of all kinds of materials, i.e., silk, sheep's wool, camels' wool, jute, hemp, felt, yak hair, and even the hair of the cow. In the production of these rugs and carpets, a high, upright loom is used, consisting of large beams above and below, from which the

. warp is stretched. In front of these several men and boys- from one to ten, according to the size of the rug- are seated, knotting into the warp tufts from balls of yarn hanging over head, the design in colour being so placed that each workman can see it without difficulty. Workmen are paid at the rate of from

five pence to ten pence per day. One square foot is- an average day's work. The industry has recently been introduced in several of the industrial schools in China for the employment of the poor. The silk carpets are very like those produced in India, Turkey, or Persia, in colours and quality of material, but vastly different in design if left to Chinese selection. Foreign designs, if furnished, are faithfully copied. These rugs differ greatly in quality. In some the warp is cotton, while in others the warp as well as the nap or woof is silk. Some are made of even surface, while in others the figures are raised. The quality also differs in the number of warp threads used to the inch, which varies from 12 to 20. They are made in all sizes, and are intended for floor, table and piano covers, and wall draperies. The wool rugs are in far greater demand, and are largely used throughout China, Japan, and the East generally. Many are exported to Europe and America. They are made on the same looms and in the same manner as are the silk rugs. Those of all sheep's wool, with cotton warp, vary in price according to the size, design, and colour. The wearing qualities of these carpets make them a very economical floor covering, and age softens and blends the colours, which are, in all reliable places of manufacture, of vegetable dyes. The carpets especially favoured by the local residents and tourists are made from camel's wool. These rugs are heavy, and frequently are fully half-an-inch in thickness. They are fashioned in all kinds of designs - floral, geometrical, and dragon. The rugs made from the other materials mentioned (the yak ex- cepted) are used only by the natives. Those made from the hair of the yak are very rare and expensive, comparing in style and beauty With the finest silk rugs. They are made only in the interior provinces of China. It is interesting to note the origin of the carpet industry in China. The method of manu- facture was first used in making saddle-cloths and trappings for horses used in processions, and by Chinese of high rank, developing into the rug and carpet industry on the advent of the foreigner. The saddle blankets are still used, and often are highly finished in the most elaborate designs and patterns.

BRAZILIAN DIAMOND MINING. With the installation of dredging machinery at

points along the Jequitinhonha River, in the State of Minas Géraes, a revolution in the mining industry of the diamond district of Brazil is practically effected, which will probably revolutionise the diamond markéts of the world. According to the United States Consul at Rio de Janeiro, American capital has obtained possession of practically all the diamond- beai ri g territory in the Diamantina country. The success of the work means that a large amount of American money will be spent in Brazilian diamond mining, and it is stated that work on the mines already done has led to such a demand for improved

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